Lots of Snowy Owls have been reported in southern Ontario on Ontbirds
over the last week and it seems they are quickly making their way into
southwestern Ontario in the last couple of days judging by reports on
EBird and the Middlesex-Elgin Listserv.
Yesterday [Nov 30] Jason McGuire of London found one at Ravenswood in
northwest Lambton County near Kettle Point and a 2nd bird northwest of
Strathroy along Seed Road north of Hwy 21 in north central Middlesex
County. This is a traditional area that has Snowy Owls almost every
winter going back some 20 years or more.
Today [Dec 1] on EBird, Steve Charboneau reported one in Chatham-Kent
and Ivan Maggini reported two birds on the long rock spit at Pat's /
Kettle Point in northwest Lambton County.
Given all the reports we decided to check some backroads near our place
rather than chase one down at a greater distance and, indeed, found one
in about 20 minutes of driving. It was sitting in a field within 100
metres of the road on the east side of Hwy 74 south of Belmont between
Crossley-Hunter and Wilson Lines in north-central Elgin County. This is
in an area where we have only found a couple of Snowy Owls despite lots
of backroads driving in the 26 years that we have lived in the area.
Seems like a good year for birders to add this species to their "local
or maybe even yard list"! We got our yard-list tick in 1991 with none since!
Dave Martin and Linda Wladarski
[email protected]
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